Kenner woman fights animal feeding law; claims she was cited for feeding her own cat

The Louisiana Humane Society has become involved with a Kenner woman's fight against a law that forbids the feeding of dogs or cats found "at large." Katherine Reese contends that she was cited by Code Enforcement investigators from Kenner for feeding her own cats.

City of Kenner

In a suit prepared for Kenner City Court, Reese said she thinks one of her neighbors called Kenner officials and since then has been seizing her cats outside.

The lawsuit asks that the citation be quashed because the law that bans the feeding of at large dogs or cats is unconstitutional.

In addition to being vague and overbroad, the suit says that the Kenner law mentions an animal control board that does not exist: "No person may feed any dog or cats found at large, unless acting under the auspices of the feral animal control board."

Without the control board the entire law is illegal, according to the lawsuit.

The Louisiana Humane Society scheduled a 1 p.m. press conference Wednesday at Kenner City Hall. However, Kenner City Attorney Keith Conley said city officials will not be present.

"We're not going to try this case in the public. We're going to let a judge decide the facts of the case and make a ruling. We will not be making a press release or attending the press conference because all lawsuits should be tried in a courtroom."

The suit asks for her citation under the law to be thrown out and for the law to be ruled illegal.